A MUSIC promoter has called sound issues at a special performance at York Minster “a learning curve”.

Tribeca Arts hosted the gig, by Divine Comedy front man Neil Hannon at the Minster on Saturday, May 7, but several members of the audience approached his team during the gig, complaining of poor sound quality to the rear of the seated area.

Kate Fox, who works as one of Radio 4’s poets in residence, travelled from Newcastle to see the gig, and said: “The sound quality was appalling, like listening to karaoke.

“The vast majority of the people at the back were crowded forward after the first song, and a lot of people were complaining. We went in earlier and the Evensong service was pin sharp. I love Neil Hannon, but it was such a disappointment. He’s all about the words, but we couldn’t hear the lyrics.”

“There was just so much echo it was like he was in a cave.”

Ben Pugh, of Tribeca Arts, said a number of people complained about the sound quality during the event, and some were given partial refunds when they moved seats.

Ben said: “Most of the responses we have had about the concert have been positive, but some said we must think about the acoustics next time around.”

He said: “It’s a learning curve. Next time round we will have a different approach to using the space more sensitively.”